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My part-time MFA course at Bath Spa Uni continues to challenge and broaden my art practice, taking it in new directions which I am finding exciting! Recent work has resulted in an immersive installation piece (images above) for the MA Degree Show, Bath School of Art & Design,Sion Hill, Bath, BA1 5SF, 23 – 27 Sept, 10am-5pm. Private View 22 Sept6-9pm. This will be an interim show for me, being my first year of two.

I have been installing several other exhibitions that run simultaneously this autumn in very different venues. I was invited to show a selection of my outdoor sculptural pieces in ‘Form and Fascination’ at Courts Garden National Trust alongside Ian Turnock’s work. Both inspired by structures in nature, our work is set in the beautiful gardens that feature water, intimate, formal and wild areas: Holt, Nr Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, BA14 6RR, 9 September – 15 October (closed Wednesdays; last entry to garden 5pm).

Clayhill Arts: ‘Organic Forms Found Materials’ Sun 8 Oct, half day or full day (me); or ‘Organic Forms Willow Weaving Sun 8 Oct, half day or full day (Angela Morley), or combination of each: book via www.eventbrite.co.uk

I’ve started a part-time MA Fine Art course at Bath Spa University. It’s never too late! I’ve wanted to do one for many years, but the time never seemed right. Now it’s as right as it will ever be.. so I took the plunge and applied belatedly in early September, amazed that I was accepted onto this year’s intake! It’s been a bit of a jolt to the system, but am getting the hang of research methodology and all the mouthfuls that go with it.

This was going on around the time of preparing and running our Somerset Open Studios event. I shared my venue with Nick Weaver, whose wood pieces harmonised well with my work, especially in the “magical Alice-in-Wonderland like garden/sculpture park” (as one visitor put it). Other visitor comments: “Brilliant – most lovely and surprising and innovative visit of the day“; “Wonderful, positive views of life in all respects”; “Remarkable, inspiring exciting”; “Magic!! An oasis of inspiration! Thanks”; “Absolutely stunning“. Our Open Studios event went well – plenty of new enthusiastic, friendly visitors who loved our exhibition, a very wide demographic and several sales. I ran some workshops with a local school, home ed children and adult group, including A’ Level Art students. It was busy but rewarding!

Somerset Open Studios ’14 is now in full swing, we had a great open evening doo to kick off and I’m happy to say our venue (140 – Cranmore BA4 4RH, shared with Nick Weaver) made several sales this weekend. With over 52 pieces on show in the garden alone, it was a big job setting up (and clearing up my studio ready for the event). I ran a brief workshop for several art students from Wells Cathedral Junior School and will be running similar taster workshops on the next 2 Sundays (11.30-12.30). Please book if you’re interested: (01749) 880394.

Last weekend I visited Hauser & Wirth’s new Gallery space in Bruton for their Private View of Piet Oudolf’s newly created garden. Phyllida Barlow’s work inside provided a tactile (though you can’t touch), raw and quite spectacular use of the barn buildings. Her work seemed to celebrate the space: multi gigantic pompoms suspended and massive colourful structures reaching into roof voids. It was invigorating, while Oudolf’s garden was soothing. Luckily we could touch his wonderful, feathery grasses – it would have been torture not to. And it was a treat to see one of Louise Bourgeois’s Spiders (much smaller than the one I saw at the Tate Modern, but still great!)

Fundraising is not my forte but I’ve had to do it as part of a major project I’m organising entitled ‘step in stone’. The film we’ve been making for a crowdfunding platform is now ready to launch on IdeasTap. This will go live in the next day or so, and I hope we will have some success through it. We have now made the final selection of featured artists, and it is all getting very exciting and absorbing! More news of this project soon…

I hope you’ve had a wonderful summer and feel ready for the fall. I managed to get away for an inspiring trip to Florence and Pisa for a week in between working on various projects, teaching, commissions and exhibitions. I sold some work locally and in London, made a tree in a day and very happy to have just learnt I won an Environmental Award for my work at the Devon Recycled Sculpture Trail!

There’s plenty to look forward to this autumn. I’ve been preparing for Somerset Open Studios ’14 as East Mendip Rep and exhibitor. This year I’ll be showing work in my studio and garden with Nick Weaver (elegant wood pieces) from 20th Sept – 5th Oct, 11-6 daily (wire workshops each Sunday 11.30-12.30 – please book). We’ve formed a small cluster group in our vicinity and have a Launch doo on 20th Sept (see below) – please come and visit us!

My energies have also been focused on organising a major project entitled step in stone – a collaborative holistic, multi-stranded Art Trail around 2-4 disused/working quarries in the East Mendips (planned for July – Oct ’15), with related exhibitions at Black Swan Arts Centre and Somerset Earth Science Centre, linking with Somerset Art Works. Artists are being drawn from a range of disciplines, some selected from a callout. Confirmed artists include Tessa Farmer – one of my favourites after seeing her at Saatchi and recently at Holburne. The project relies on funding, so in addition to formal applications we’re running a crowdfunding bid on IdeasTap via their commission-free Accelerator platform (soon going live – watch this space) and making a film for it. I’ll have curatorial mentoring from Amanda Wallwork (Sherborne House Art Director/B-Side Curator) and Zoe Li (SAW/Arts Council) – let’s hope it all comes to fruition!

step in stone is a project I’m organising, which will form a collaborative holistic, multi-stranded Art Trail around 2-4 disused/working quarries in the East Mendips to illuminate these hidden landscapes and explore Somerset’s heritage and beauty. Steeped in history and controversy, many repossessed by wildlife, the quarries will provide a fresh, dramatic environment in which to show distinctive art. So far, confirmed quarries are Westdown, Halecombe and Fairy Cave, with another possible.

Planned to run from July – October ’15, with the finale tying in with Somerset Art Works Festival and a related exhibition at Black Swan Arts Centre, Frome (3-18 October) the event will also hold an accompanying exhibition at Somerset Earth Science Centre, to include Christina’s impressive quarry photographs. Workshops during one week in July ’15 at Somerset Earth Science Centre will link with SAW’s InspirED offers with schools, as well as the wider community.

The aim is to involve school children, families, walkers, art and culture enthusiasts, nature lovers, research students and tourists wishing to explore the countryside, seeking a different experience. A catalogue and film would document the event, creating a lasting legacy.

The next big step is to apply for funding. The success of the project is reliant on this, together with local support. So, I’m avidly applying for financial backing and seeking sponsorship, (which would result in the organisation’s logo being attached to all publicity/marketing material, together with mutual benefits). A crowdfunding bid will soon go live on IdeasTap. Watch this space and do please let me know if you feel you can support this project in any way.

My blog writing has suffered in the past few months as demands on my life expand. It can be said of many of us, life seems to be getting busier. Trying to take time out to simply enjoy can be a challenge! The past month has certainly been a massive effort for me to manage, but I seem to have done it fairly unscathed. Planning and running workshops at different schools, drawing and making large sculptures for new exhibitions, transporting and setting them up, endless admin and meetings for new roles and plans (to be divulged soon) and of course personal life, son, garden, home blah blah…! So, here’s a snapshot of what’s happening in terms of exhibitions and projects I’m involved in this summer.

I’ve been working towards several summer shows at seaside venues and in some lovely gardens in London, the South West and Guernsey.

Starting next week is my solo exhibition entitled ‘Found, Now Missing’ at Contains Art, Somerset, as part of their ‘Voyages’ programme. My largest piece (image above) will be sited on the roof of a shipping container/gallery overlooking Watchet marina and Bristol Channel. It will be seen from the West Somerset steam railway line above, too. See the Private View invite below for further details – please come along if you can.

On 7th June, I’ll be running a drawing workshop tied in with the exhibition. Do drop in!

From July to September I will be showing work in Glastonbury Abbey’s grounds for their Abbey Orchard Sculpture Trail and participating in the Devon Recycled Sculpture Trail ‘14. (See current and forthcoming exhibitions for dates.)

My work is currently featured in The Hidden Garden Art Show as part of Chelsea Fringe and the National Garden Scheme until 8th June and at Art Parks International Sculpture Festival, St Martin, Guernsey GY4 6SG until October. I also have 3 pieces on show until July for Sidcot Arts Centre’s Outdoor Artist Programme.

Various workshops in schools include recently making crane sculptures with All Hallows students linked with the Great Crane Project – soon to be filmed by Whitespace Productions in the making. We made a 2 metre high Tree at Watchfield Primary and this month I’ll be constructing a large nest for children’s litterbugs to live in as part of a Litterarti project, which will feature in Bristol’s forthcoming Big Green Week.

On 12th July, I will be discussing my SAW/NGS Abundance work at the ‘Make, Create, Cultivate Symposium’ – a weekend celebration of some recent innovative creative projects in Somerset.

Then I’m off to Florence for a short break, which I’m sure to enjoy!

I hope you can visit some of these events and wishing you a happy, hot summer ahead!

I love May – it’s my favourite month in UK. But this May I have a hectic schedule of side-by-side and back-to-back exhibitions, workshops and projects on the go and already finding myself working hard on the bank holiday weekend. C’est la vie…

On Wednesday I packed up and delivered a piece for shipment abroad (just Guernsey but still across the sea). It was a trial getting the piece appropriately packed for safe transport as it is a fairly fragile, unusual shape. The work will be on show at Artparks International Sculpture Exhibition. Next Saturday I will be installing several pieces in a Hampstead garden owned by curator and gallerist Maureen Michaelson for London’s Chelsea Fringe and National Garden Scheme (see below). Exciting to be showing back in London.

Tomorrow I’m taking down work from an exhibition at Sidcot Arts Centre, though leaving my outdoor sculptures on show until July. And the panic is on to complete a large set of work for the Voyages programme at Contains Art. My exhibition there is entitled ‘Found, Now Missing’. It references the disappearance of seashells and sealife from coral reefs. My main piece will be sited on the roof of one of the shipping containers, so I am making it in sections for lifting. Created from scrap steel etc, it’s very heavy!

With a couple of other projects I’m organising and a few workshops in schools also lined up this month, I have a feeling it’s going to be a roller coaster month!

A new exhibition starts this Saturday entitled ‘Of Form and Texture’ at Sidcot Arts Centre, in which some of my work will be on show as part of a selected group. Diane Burnell, Sara Parsons, Debbie Lamb and Laura Howarth are also taking part. My Lichen piece took nearly 2 days to install (thanks to the help of friend Nigel Evans), but is now up and ready for the Launch event on Saturday. This piece, made from recycled materials, was originally created with more components as part of the Abundance commission last year – an Art/Garden Trail organised by Somerset Art Works and the National Garden Scheme.

3 of my sculptures have been on show outside the entrance of Sidcot Arts Centre since February, the first set of work for their new Outdoor Sculpture Programme. Below are details of the exhibition – do try to come along!

Spawn is amassing, bulbs swelling and sprouting and new work starting – could it be that spring has finally sprung?

Last week I completed and installed a 7′ high copper Memory Tree commissioned by Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice in Surrey. Created from copper piping and wire, it includes over 350 hooks for inscribed copper leaves to be hung by donors in memory of loved ones. It took longer than expected to make, but happy with the outcome.

Soon I will be taking some of my work to a lovely London garden/venue run and owned by Gallerist Maureen Michaelson for the Hidden Garden Art Show in association with Chelsea Fringe (Sat 24th May – Sun 8th June). The show will also feature in the NGS on Sun 8th June. This is an exciting opportunity for me to exhibit to a new audience.

Meanwhile, I am developing work for Sidcot’s ‘Of Form And Texture‘ Exhibition and Contains Art’s ‘Voyages‘ programme. For further details see my full list of Current and Forthcoming exhibitions. Tendril (below) made of recycled springs is currently on show at Sidcot: